A veteran jockey who had to have both his legs amputated following a terrible accident at his stables has been transferred to palliative care.
Shane McGovern, 67, was riding trackwork when his horse, Reformist, reportedly collapsed and died, trapping him underneath. McGovern’s wife, Kim, discovered him after six hours and he was swiftly taken to hospital from his base in Charters Towers, North Queensland, Australia.
The incident on April 8 cut off the blood supply to the rider’s legs, and doctors found he had also dislocated his shoulder and broken several ribs. “A devastating update on QLD jockey Shane McGovern, unfortunately Shane has now had both his legs amputated,” a post from The Australian Jockeys Association revealed on X.
“We are sending all our prayers and love to you Shane and your family. Keep fighting Shane.”
The association’s health and safety officer, Kevin Ring, informed Racenet that McGovern, who has ridden more than 200 winners from 1,885 races, could face additional surgery as he remains in Townsville Hospital.
“He’s in recovery at the moment and he had a good night afterwards apparently,” Ring said. “He’s sedated of course, but he’s going to have to have other operations I would suggest. They can do amazing things these days, so as long as he’s got some quality of life, that’s the main thing. It’s going to be a long slog with rehab.”
Reformist, a nine-year-old horse, was reported to have collapsed after suffering an aneurysm during routine exercise.
Racing Queensland has contributed £26,000 to a GoFundMe established for McGovern, while the Queensland Jockeys’ Association provided an additional £2,600, bringing the overall total to nearly £43,000.
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“At age 67, Shane has dedicated his entire working life to our industry and for it to be changed in this way through this accident is incredibly confronting for him and for his wife Kim,” donors to the fundraising page were informed.
“Shane will be facing a long time in hospital and will then need many months of rehabilitation. It is a total disruptor to a life that he and his wife Kim had built over decades around their horse training and riding lives.”
However the latest news issued by the Australian Jockeys Association on Thursday was not encouraging. A post on X said: “An update on Shane McGovern, he has been transferred to the palliative care unit due to ongoing issues. He has his family by his side now as he continues with this horrendous battle. Updates to follow.”